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6 Little-Known Gun FACTS That Liberals Never Want To Talk About

TFPP Writer By TFPP Writer
Published December 29, 2017 at 5:27am
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Texas’ AG Paxton Makes a Big Announcement About Guns And Churches – by Brian Thomas

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a clarifying opinion on Texas law on Wednesday, stating that churches can chose whether or not to post a notice prohibiting guns, and that handguns are allowed if such a notice isn’t posted.

Paxton’s announcement came in response to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick asking for clarification on state law concerning handguns on church premises:

In effect, the Legislature provided churches the same option as most other private entities to decide whether to allow the carrying of handguns onto the premises of church-owned property. If a church decides to exclude the concealed or open carrying of handguns on the premises of church property, it may provide the requisite notice, thereby making it an offense for a license holder to carry a handgun on those premises.

However, churches may instead decide not to provide notice and to allow the carrying of handguns on their premises. Unless a church provides effective oral or written notice prohibiting the carrying of handguns on its property, a license holder may carry a handgun onto the premises of church property as the law allows.

As we saw in Sutherland Springs, Texas, deranged individuals can view churches as easy prey. Shooters can and will chose locations where guns are not permitted for law-abiding people because the criminals know that their victims will be helpless.

Posted signs obviously stop nobody intending to do harm. They only stop license holders from entering the premises with the handgun they carry for defense.

Paxton’s clarification on Texas law gives hope to those who exercise their Second Amendment rights. From the Texas Attorney General website:

Licensed handgun owners can legally carry loaded weapons into Texas churches that do not have posted signs banning weapons, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a legal opinion released today. The opinion also clarified that a new law passed this year by the Legislature exempts churches from state fees for creating volunteer security teams.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick requested the opinion on December 1, and asked Attorney General Paxton to expedite his responses “so that churches may know what legal options they have to improve security” in the aftermath of the Sutherland Springs tragedy.

“If a church decides to exclude the concealed or open carrying of handguns on the premises of church property, it may provide the requisite notice, thereby making it an offense for a license holder to carry a handgun on those premises,” Attorney General Paxton wrote in his opinion. “However, churches may instead decide not to provide notice and to allow the carrying of handguns on their premises. Unless a church provides effective oral or written notice prohibiting the carrying of handguns on its property, a license holder may carry a handgun onto the premises of church property as the law allows.”

Patrick responded to Paxton by praising his interpretation of the law.

Although several Texas churches already permit license holders to carry on church property, others say “redemptive violence” is un-Christian.

One Texas pastor told the American-Statesman that his church protects its congregation by having ushers keep an eye out for trouble:

“I believed our state laws provided more protections than many realized and I requested the opinion to make sure that Texans are clear about our laws, especially when it comes to church security,” [Patrick] said in a statement.

Some churches across the state already allow their congregants to carry handguns onto the premises, said Kyle Childress, pastor of Austin Heights Baptist Church in Nacogdoches. Over the past year or so, Childress has published several pieces in Christian magazines about the issue, including one about his congregation’s recent decision to prohibit guns in the church.

“There is a fundamental question about who is the church and what are we about. Are we going to be gun-carrying and put trust in redemptive violence?” Childress told the American-Statesman. “I don’t believe the way of Jesus Christ teaches that.”

Instead of guns, Childress’ church has tried to improve security by having more ushers greet people outside of the church and keeping more eyes on entrances. But even those strategies have limitations, he said.

“If somebody wants to get in, they’re going to get in. So, we, like other congregations, are exploring what are ways we can be more aware of safety without compromising our lordship of Christ,” he said.

But unless his ushers happen to be bulletproof, they’re just as defenseless as the people they supposedly protect.

Church leaders should at least give worshipers a chance to decide for themselves if protecting their families constitutes “violence.”

Is it problematic for Christianity, as Childress suggests, to allow for self defense with a weapon on church property?

Tell us what you think, and sound off in the comments section below.

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